Pipette container



March 7, 1967 w J BERRY PIPETTE CONTAINER Filed April 9, 1965 FIG.2

INVENTOR. WILLIAM J. BERRY United States Patent 3,307,711 PIPETTE CONTAINER William J. Berry, 1021 Green St., Durham, N.C. 27701 Filed Apr. 9, 1965, Ser. No. 447,040 7 Claims. (Cl. 211-132) The present invention relates to pipette sterilizing and supporting containers and relates more particularly to a .convertible pipette container for use in sterilizing pipettes and for supporting pipettes in a tray formed from the pipette container.

Presently pipette washers, pipette supporting baskets and containers utilized for carrying or supporting pipettes whether for washing or sterilizing or drying consist primarily of a cylindrical chamber of unitary construction with a handle for raising and lowering the container. When the pipettes are to be removed from the container, the container is tilted permitting the pipettes to be slid out of the open end resulting in a large percentage of breakage. Although individual pipettes may be removed from conventional containers by reaching into the open end, it is somewhat difficult to select the desired pipette in this manner unless a clear or transparent chamber is utilized. Furthermore, after the pipettes are removed from either a washer, sterilizer or dryer, they must then be placed into the suitable pipette rack or holder for storage until use. Such racks or holders are of various types including those that will retain the pipettes in an inclined or horizontal or vertical position. The high incidence of breakage whether in the washing, sterilizing, drying, storage or in the accessibility of pipettes, such breakage and loss are extremely costly in addition to the numerous costly devices and apparatus which must be utilized.

Therefore, it is an objective of this invention to provide a unitary convertible container which may be utilized for washing, sterilizing, drying, as well as holding or storing pipettes.

Still another objective of this invention is to provide a convertible pipette container and supporting tray which may be utilized with conventional pipette washers, sterilizers and dryers and eliminate the high incidence of breakage presently occasioned.

7 Still a further object of this invention is to provide a convertible pipette washer, dryer, sterilizer container and tray which will permit ready drainage of excess liquid, evaporation of any moisture and provide ready accessibility when the convertible container is placed in an open tray position.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the utilization of scientific apparatus upon consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with one preferred embodiment of this invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational and perspective view of a convertible pipette container and tray exposing pipettes in the open tray position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the convertible pipette container and tray in the closed position;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of FIG. 2 illustrating the container and tray in the closed position;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the pipette container and tray in the open position for exposing and receiving pipettes in the tray portion; and

FIG. 5 is a left end elevational view of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawing and particularly to FIG. 1, there is illustrated, in the open tray position, a convertible pipette container and tray apparatus exposing "ice a number of pipettes 11 that are supported in the trough 12 formed within the semi-cylindrical lower shell 13 of the apparatus 10. The lower shell 13 is supported in an inclined position permitting the pipettes 11 to engage the cap end 14 of the lower shell 13 which cap end may be reticulated for drainage of excess moisture.

The upper cylindrical shell is provided with two sections 15 and 16 that are pivotally connected together in overlapping relationship by the pins 17 and 18 forming an articulated upper cylindrical shell or housing. The forward end 19 of the upper section 15 is pivotally connected to the forward end 20 of the lower shell 13 through the ring 21 that is securely fastened by suitable means to the forward end 20 of the lower shell 13 with the hinge pins 22 retaining the upper shell section 15 in juxtaposition to the lower forward section of the lower shell. It has been found desirable to have the semicylindrical upper sections 15 and 16 overlap, at least partially, the upper edges 23 of the lower shell 13, thereby forming a seal which need not be secure.

The lower cylindrical shell 13 may be provided with a series of apertures or slotted openings 24 at suitable locations or throughout the shell to facilitate drainage of any liquid accumulated on the pipettes, and it may also be desirable to utilize a mesh shell instead of a sheet metal shell whether of stainless steel or other material depending upon the utilization for the convertible pipette container and tray. A U-shaped handle 25 is securely fastened to the free end 26 of the lower shell 13 with the handle 25 being provided with a cross-rod-receiving offset 27 intermediate the length of the handle 25. Also, a cross-rod-receiving notch 28 is provided on the lower portion of the shell 13 for a purpose to be described.

The free end 29 of the upper shell section 16 has secured to it a U-shaped handle 30 which, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, has a pair of longitudinally extending legs 31 substantially parallel to the legs 32 on handle 25 extending from the lower shell 13 with the legs 31 being spaced laterally a greater distance than the legs 32 enabling the legs 31 to pass outside of legs 32 when the convertible apparatus is to be utilized in the tray forming position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. A cross-rod 33 is secured to the legs 31 intermediate their length for cooperative releasing and locking within the offset 27 in handle 25 while the apparatus is in the closed position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the upper and lower cylindrical shells provide a unitary cylindrical chamber which, in the vertical position, will retain a substantial number of pipettes for washing, sterilizing or drying. Sufiicient sealing engagement occurs with the overlap formed between the trailing section 34 of section 15 and the leading section 35 of section 16.

After either washing, sterilizing or drying, the pipettes may be exposed by positioning the lower shell 11 in a substantially horizontal plane and then disengaging the handle 30 from alignment with the handle 25 removing the cross-bar 33 from the recess 27 thereby pivoting the upper shell sections 15 and 16 out of alignment from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 4. Upon seating the cross-bar 33 into the notch or recess 28, the lower shell 13 will assume an inclined position depending upon the inclination of the handle 30 exposing the pipettes 11 for withdrawal from the chamber 12. A series of longitudinally spaced-apart notches supplementing the cross-bar-receiving notch 28 may be provided in the event different angles of inclination for the lower shell may be desirable. It will be apparent that the upper and lower cylindrical shells may be pivoted from a fully opened condition by pivoting handle 30 in a counterclockwise direction toward handle 25 which will be retained in the position shown in FIG. 3 thereby forming a substantially continuous trough formed from the lower shell 13 and the two upper sections 15 and 16.

If desirable, the upper sections 15 and 16 may be formed of mesh wire or the sheet metal reticulated suitably depending upon the end purpose for the apparatus.

Many modifications and variations may be made to the particular contours and configurations of the shells as well as the handle members and such modifications and alterations are contemplated within the spirit of this invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A convertible pipette washing, sterilizing, drying container and storage tray comprising a first semi-cylindrical shell having openings therein, a pipette supporting cap at one end of said shell and a U-shaped handle at the other end of said shell, a second semi-cylindrical shell pivotally connected to said first shell to form a cylindrical chamber in the closed position and having a pair of pivotally connected sections, the first section of said second semi-cylindrical shell being pivotally connected at one end to the cap end of said first shell and the second section being pivotally connected to the free end of said second section and having a U-shaped handle extending from the free end thereof, and means for releasably retaining said second section handle in an inclined position to support the first shell in an inclined position with the shell sections being pivoted at an angle to each other in the container open position.

2. A convertible pipette washing, sterilizing, drying container and tray comprising a pair of cooperating upper and lower semi-cylindrical shells pivotally connected to each other adjacent one end of each, said lower shell having a cap at one end thereof, said upper shell having first and second sections pivotally connected to each other, said first section also being pivotally connected to said lower shell, means for releasably retaining said shells in a closed position forming a cylindrical chamber, a handle secured to and extending from the upper shell second section whereby upon tilting and positioning the handle below said lower shell said sections are elevated exposing the lower shell with the handle supporting said lower shell in an inclined position.

3. A convertible pipette container and tray comprising a pair of cooperating semi-cylindrical shells pivotally connected to each other adjacent one end of each, a cap mounted at one end of the shell, one of said shells having first and second sections pivotally connected to each other, said first section being pivotally connected to the other shell, a handle secured to and extending from each of the shells adjacent each other, a handle on said one of the shells being affixed to said second section for positioning in the container open position, beneath the other shell, and means for supporting said second section handle in an inclined position.

4. A convertible pipette container and trap comprising a pair of cooperating and overlapping upper and lower shells pivotally connected to each other at one end of each forming a closed container with open ends, said lower shell having means to retain pipettes at one end thereof, said upper shell having first and second sections pivotally connected to each other, said first section being pivotally connected to said lower shell, a handle secured to and extending from each of the upper and lower shells, the handle on said upper shell being affixed to said section for positioning, in the container open position, beneath the lower shell, and means for supporting the upper shell sections in spaced angular position to each other with said second section handle in an inclined position exposing the lower shell.

5. A convertible pipette container and tray comprising a pair of cooperating upper and lower chamber-forming shells, said lower shell having a cap at one end thereof, said upper shell having at least a first and second section pivotally connected to each other, said first section being pivotally connected to said lower shell, means for supporting said lower shell in an inclined open position and maintaining said sections in spaced relation to said lower shell exposing said lower shell for pipette storage.

6. A pipette container and tray comprising a first shell having openings therein, a pipette retaining cap in one end of said shell, a second shell cooperating aligned and pivoted to said first shell to form a chamber in the closed position, a handle extending from the free end of said second shell, means for releasably retaining said shell handle in an inclined position to support a first shell in an inclined position while retaining the second shell in spaced relation to said first shell exposing the first shell for supporting pipettes in an inclined position. i

7. A pipette container and tray comprising a first shell having a pipette retaining cap in one end thereof, a second shell cooperatively aligned with and pivotally secured to said first shell, means for releasably retaining said shells in closed position forming a pipette retaining chamber, means for releasably retaining said first shell in an inclined position and for supporting said second shell in spaced relation to said first shell providing access to said first shell.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 816,959 4/ 1906 Briganti 21-.-87 2,544,118 3/1951 Went 206-.83 3,092,443 6/ 1963 Dietz 2187 3,173,641 3/1965 Dorrance 248153 FOREIGN PATENTS 767,286 5/ 1934 France.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner, K. J. WINGERT, Assistant Examiner, 

1. A CONVERTIBLE PIPETTE WASHING, STERILIZING, DRYING CONTAINER AND STORAGE TRAY COMPRISING A FIRST SEMI-CYLINDRICAL SHELL HAVING OPENINGS THEREIN, A PIPETTE SUPPORTING CAP AT ONE END OF SAID SHELL AND A U-SHAPED HANDLE AT THE OTHER END OF SAID SHELL, A SECOND SEMI-CYLINDRICAL SHELL PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST SHELL TO FORM A CYLINDRICAL CHAMBER IN THE CLOSED POSITION AND HAVING A PAIR OF PIVOTALLY CONNECTED SECTIONS, THE FIRST SECTION OF SAID SECOND SEMI-CYLINDRICAL SHELL BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ONE END TO THE CAP END OF SAID FIRST SHELL AND THE SECOND SECTION BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE FREE END OF SAID SECOND SECTION AND HAVING A U-SHAPED HANDLE EXTENDING FROM THE FREE END THEREOF, AND MEANS FOR RELEASABLY RETAINING SAID SECOND SECTION HANDLE IN AN INCLINED POSITION TO SUPPORT THE FIRST SHELL IN AN INCLINED POSITION WITH THE SHELL SECTIONS BEING PIVOTED AT AN ANGLE TO EACH OTHER IN THE CONTAINER OPEN POSITION. 